Contingencies and commitments (Details Textual) $ in Millions								1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 23, 2017 lawsuit	Nov. 08, 2016 lawsuit	Nov. 01, 2016 lawsuit	Aug. 15, 2016 defendants	Feb. 26, 2016 patent	Nov. 12, 2015 count	Nov. 03, 2015 lawsuit	Sep. 16, 2013 actions plaintiffs	Dec. 31, 2015 patent	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) actions complaints defendants plaintiffs lawsuit	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Future rental commitments for abandoned leases | $										$ 309
Future rental income relating to noncancelable subleases of abandoned facilities | $										228
Rental expense on operating leases | $										$ 134	$ 133	$ 126
Onyx [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs | plaintiffs								9
Sanofi/Regeneron Patent Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed | patent									7
Sensipar Patent Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed										13
Sandoz Etanercept [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed | patent					5
Apotex Pegfilgrastim/Filgrastim Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed							2
Hospira Epoetin Alfa Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of counts in a complaint in a motion for dismissal | count						1
Gain contingency, number of defendants | defendants				3
Superior Court State of California [Member] | Onyx [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of purported class actions | actions								7
Larson v. Sharer, et al [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of stockholder complaints | complaints										3
Loss Contingency, Action | actions										1
Ramos v. Amgen Inc., et al. [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of new defendants | defendants										4
Harris, et. al. v. Amgen Inc. [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Action | actions										1
Number of additional plaintiffs | plaintiffs										2
Onyx Therapeutics, Inc [Member] | Breckenridge Pharmaceutical and Fresenius Kabi [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed			4
Onyx Therapeutics, Inc [Member] | MSN Laboratories/Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, and Qilu Pharma [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed		4
Subsequent Event [Member] | Hospira Epoetin Alfa Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Gain contingency, claims dismissed, number	2